


Just Breathe

by LordLaurance



Series: Daaron Short Fics! [4]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Aaron and Gracie Are Missing, Daryl Can't Find Aaron, Daryl Dixon Has Anxiety, Family, Finger Painting, Jesus Has A Son, M/M, Painting, Panic Attacks, daaron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 04:53:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16758313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordLaurance/pseuds/LordLaurance
Summary: Daryl is prone to panic attacks





	Just Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> Jesus and Daniel have a son together. His name is Noah

It was a beautiful day. The sun was high in the sky and the breeze had the slightest chill, cooling Daryl's hot skin. He took a deep breath of the warm air and tossed his crossbow over his shoulder.

Jesus touched his friend's arm, leaning some of his weight on him. "What are you going to do now?" he asked quietly. The two had just finished a run and were now left with half a day to kill.

"Probably just head home to Aaron. Why?" Daryl replied, annoyedly brushing the other man's hair off his leather donned shoulder.

"Danny wanted me to ask you and Aaron to come to dinner with us. He figured it would be a nice treat." Jesus replied, smiling slightly.

"Cool. I'll ask Aaron. Maybe we'll drop by. Bring Gracie along so she can play with Noah." Daryl nodded.

"Good." Jesus stood up on his tiptoes, kissing Daryl's cheek before wandering off to find his fiance.

Daryl smiled under the friendly touch. Jesus was one of the only people who could touch him without getting their arm cut off, for he was one of the only people he trusted. Aaron and Daryl were great friends with Jesus and Daniel, had been for years, so it was nothing new for them to go to each other's houses for dinner. He was sure Aaron would be happy when he told him about the invite.

Daryl walked himself home in about ten minutes, but instantly noticed something wrong. The front door, which was usually locked tight, was wide open.

Daryl's eyes went wide. He ran to the doorway, head shooting around in circles. His boyfriend and daughter were nowhere to be seen.

"AARON!?" Daryl shouted. "Gracie, baby, where are you!?"

Daryl's heart was already racing as he stumbled into the kitchen, his head screaming all the possibilities. He tried to scream out again but, his voice was gone and he could only gasp to find his breath now.

He bit his lip and leaned on the kitchen island. He slipped up for a moment, not feeling the granite beneath his numb hands.

Daryl pushed away from the counter, attempting to get himself to the stairs. His head was spinning and his chest felt like it was twisting. He grabbed the railing and propelled himself onto the first step, before his knees buckled and he slammed against the stairs.

Daryl tilted his head back, closing his eyes and trying to catch his breath again.

"Daryl?" A voice called from somewhere within the house. "Daryl! Babe!"

Daryl opened his eyes slowly, using his shaking hands to turn his body toward the sound. He was met with the sight of his beautiful boyfriend setting their daughter on the couch. "Aar..."

Aaron, who had taken a few lessons from Siddiq, rushed over, kneeling down with him. "Stay right there, Gracie. Babe, shh. Shh. You're sweating." He framed Daryl's head gently in his soft hands.

"Aaron..." Daryl attempted, still hyperventilating.

"Shh. Just breathe, love. Inhale," Aaron whispered. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5."

Daryl inhaled deeply with each count.

"Hold. 1, 2." Aaron added. "Exhale. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5."

Daryl held his breath, then slowly released it.

"There we go. That's it, baby." Aaron said, beginning to do the exercise with his boyfriend. "It's okay. Look at me, just focus."

Daryl kept his eyes fixated on the other boy's matching blue ones, breathing deeply. A few minutes later, he finally spoke. "I couldn't find you. The door was open. I-I thought something happened to you."

"We were painting the downstairs bathroom. I left the door open for air circulation. It's alright, Dar. It's okay," Aaron whispered, kissing Daryl's forehead. "Everything's okay. Nothing happened to us. We're okay."

"C-Can I see Gra-Gracie?" Daryl asked, swallowing hard as he finally slowed his breathing.

"Of course, of course. Come here, Grace." Aaron gestured for the toddler girl to come over to him.

Gracie slowly crawled off the couch, running over and jumping into Daryl's open arms. The man squeezed the child with his strong arms.

"Oh god, I love you so much." he whispered.

Gracie smiled a little at him. "I love you too, daddy! Wanna see my painting?"

Daryl chuckled a little. "Yeah," he replied quietly. "Show me."

Aaron stood up, pulling Daryl to his feet as well, and headed to the bathroom.

Daryl instantly saw the difference. The walls, which used to be an ugly green, were now dark purple. There were four, white hand prints on the wall, pressed between the sink and the mirror/cabinet.

Two of the hand prints were tiny, with chubby little fingers and small palms. The letter 'G' was written neatly in each palm with black Sharpie.

The second set of hands was larger, with long fingers and roughly shaped, squarish palms. Each palm had a letter 'A' in it, just like the others.

"It was Gracie's idea." Aaron explained as the girl pointed excitedly at the prints.

Daryl nodded slowly. He smiled a bit, looking down at the open canister of white paint of the sink. He shifted Grace onto his other hip and handed her off to his boyfriend. He stuck both hands into the liquid and pressed them against the wall, right next to Aaron's.

Finally, he pulled them back, wiping them on the paint covered rag next to him. 

"There. Now it's perfect."


End file.
